Nothing Stays the Same
by roxi1013
Summary: Jim and Blair must play nice with the Feds yet again. NCIS crossover
1. Chapter 1

Tony pulled the pillow over his head when the alarm went off. It was a miserable night, and now the sound was pounding against his brain like flash bangs. He wanted to curl up and crawl into a corner, but the alarm insisted he get up. Swiping at the offending object, Tony hauled himself from bed and managed to make his way to the shower. The pounding water didn't ease his tension so Tony cut his shower short, stepped out and over to the basin and wiped the steam from the mirror. He winced at the first pass of the razor, he could have sworn it was almost new, but then just shrugged and pulled another from the cabinet and finished shaving.

Standing in front of his closet a little later, he pulled an Armani suit from the hanger and tried to forget what happened the last time he'd worn anything so expensive. He usually reserved the well-tailored clothes for times he could guarantee he wouldn't be crawling through unidentifiable sludge, but today the thought of anything less against his skin was torture.

He winced again as the doorbell reminded him McGee was playing cab driver today. He had neglected routine maintenance on his car during the recent spate of drop everything cases, now he was forced to bum rides while the car sat in the repair shop suffering from a loss of transmission fluid. He hadn't managed to find the time to pick up a rental either, hence the enforced charity. Although, he acknowledged to himself, he was grateful he didn't have to face the DC traffic with his headache. He swallowed some migraine pills then pulled open the door.

McGee walked in while Tony headed to his room for the badge and gun he'd forgotten.

"Forget to pay the electric bill this month?" McGee asked.

"What? And you don't need to shout," Tony answered.

"There're no lights on at all, and I'm not shouting."

Tony set the alarm and locked the door. Taking the coffee McGee offered, the pair headed to the parking garage.

"I didn't forget to pay the electric bill; it's taken directly from my checking account. All my utilities are, there're too many times I'm on some case when things are due."

Tony spat out the first swig of coffee, coughing. "What's in this? Are you paying me back for something I did I've forgotten about?"

"It's the same thing you always get, - mocha latte with no whipped cream."

"Well, it tastes awful." Tony poured the coffee into a nearby planter and dumped the cup into a trash can.

At McGee's startled gasp, Tony said,, "Sorry, Probie, I guess I'm just not feeling well. I didn't sleep at all last night and everything feels off this morning."

"Do you want me to tell Gibbs you're sick while you head back to bed?"

"No, we have all that paperwork from the Myers case to finish up. I'll see how the day goes."

Tony climbed into the passenger seat of McGee's car, and they pulled out of the garage. Wincing again as the sun hit his eyes; Tony pulled out his sunglasses and leaned back into the seat. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the jackhammer pounding in his head. He dozed, listening to McGee's steady stream of comments about his latest book, his sister, and the date he had scheduled for the next weekend.

"We're here, Tony."

Tony startled from his impromptu nap, climbed out of the car, and followed McGee into the building. Clearing security, he noticed his headache was much better and his eyes seemed back to normal.

"Migraine medicine must be working," he thought.

Booting up his computer, he pulled the Myers file over and started on the first form of the bureaucratic blizzard in triplicate while McGee headed to Abby's lab. The two had worked on Myers' computer and had paperwork of their own to deal with.

Three hours later Tony gave up and headed to the morgue. His headache was back with a vengeance and everything was too bright and too loud, maybe Ducky could give him something.

"Hey Duck, you got any magic potions that will make a headache disappear?"

"That depends, have you taken anything yet?"

"Some Excedrin Migraine before I left home this morning."

"Well, let me check you out a little, and I'll see what I can do. What exactly is wrong?"

"I have jackhammers in my head and everything is too bright. My ears also seem to be acting up. I could swear I'm hearing the receptionist on the first floor directing phone calls."

Ducky checked Tony's blood pressure and looked in his eyes and ears, all the while telling stories.

"You know there was a British explorer, Sir Richard Burton, who wrote about primitive people who had heightened senses. He also translated the Kama Sutra, you know people think the Kama Sutra . . ."

Tony ignored the side story and concentrated on the sound slowly coming nearer. It was a steady thump, thump, and he couldn't figure out what could be causing it.

"Ducky, what's wrong? Tony, are you okay?" McGee sprinted across the morgue and put his hand on Tony's shoulder. "Is he okay?"

"I'm not sure, Timothy, I can't seem to get his attention."

"Hey, Tony, are you in there?" McGee asked, alternately shaking his shoulder and patting his cheek.

Blinking suddenly Tony jumped a little and batted McGee's hand away.

"Stop it, Probie, what's going on?"

"You were a little out if there, Tony, What happened?"

"I was listening to something I think, and then… What did you need anyway, McGee?" Tony interrupted his train of thought.

~"That was the third time I woke up out of the blue. What's going on? Maybe I should make an appointment with a doctor."~ He was frightened about all the horrific medical things that could cause the symptoms he was experiencing, but pushed it aside at McGee's answer.

"Gibbs wants us all upstairs for something.

Ducky watched the pair head to the elevator, trying to figure out what was nagging in a corner of his brain. Sighing, he returned to his own paperwork for the Myers' case. Maybe he should insist on a full physical for Tony later.

"Where've you been, DiNozzo?" Gibbs demanded. "I don't have time to waste sending agents to hunt you down." The reprimand was accompanied by the usual head slap.

Tony winced. "Sorry, boss," he whispered. "I asked Ducky for some migraine medicine." He held up the sample packets. "What's up?"

Gibbs eyed Tony for several seconds, but Tony kept his eyes closed against the lights and continued rubbing his temples.

"Ensign Jonathan Douglas has disappeared; he was on shore leave in Cascade, WA. His godfather, Senator Brent Michaels, demanded we head up the investigation. Since Senator Michaels chairs the Armed Forces committee he gets what he asks for. Be at Reagan National airport at 1430."

"Sure, Boss." Gibbs watched all three members of his team head to the elevator, paying special attention to Tony. He was flushed, but pale underneath the unnatural color, and seemed to jump at any sudden sound. The problem had been worsening over the last few weeks, Gibbs realized. Maybe he should insist the kid see a doctor when they returned to DC.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ellison, Sandburg, my office."

Cascade's best detective team sauntered into the captain's office.

"You called?" Blair asked. At the last second, he bit back the "bellowed" he was initially planning to use. Simon didn't appreciate his sense of humor, especially during working hours.

Jim's smirk indicated he knew exactly what Sandburg had been thinking. Rolling his eyes, Blair shook his head and whispered, "Behave!"

Missing the interaction, Simon began the briefing.

"That missing sailor you've been looking for just got bumped upstairs."

"You mean the Feds?" Jim groaned. "They just get in our way, you know that sir."

"Can it, Ellison. The boy's godfather is Senator Michaels, and the good senator has demanded NCIS' best team handle the investigation. I managed to get permission for a joint operation so you can take it or leave it. Their flight arrives at 3:15, pick them up and settle them into their hotel. Rhonda's making the reservations now. I mean it, Jim, play nice with them."

"What's NCIS?" Blair asked as they exited the captain's office. "I don't think I've heard of them."

"Naval Criminal Investigative Services," Jim answered. "They handle crime in the Navy and Marine Corps. They're also, usually, ex military themselves so I can imagine how they'll react to you," he warned.

The Cascade PD had long ago acclimated to Sandburg's clothing and hair style, but anyone coming from outside invariably looked twice at the young detective. Jim allowed the initial hesitance; his own reaction upon meeting Blair had been less than stellar. But those who couldn't look past the outside to Sandburg's exceptional skills were blackballed by the Sentinel and all of Major Crimes. Feds almost entirely fell into the latter group.

"Hardly the first time." Blair was unconcerned. "Let's get the hotel info from Rhonda and head to lunch. We'll just have time to get to the airport if we leave now.

Jim agreed and the duo exited the building. Rhonda quietly passed the "Fed Warning." Like the "Hurricane Ellison" warning, this was throughout the building by the end of the hour. Those likely to face the power struggle, namely Forensics and Major Crimes, mentally circled the wagons and determined to protect Blair from the harassment they assumed was coming. The entire PD was aware of Ellison's opinion of Federal agents. The handful that had earned his good opinion were known by name. Rhonda personally ensured the desk sergeant knew the names and had pictures of the four agents on their way. Ever since Kincaid had held almost the entire PD hostage, security rivaled Fort Knox. She'd also included a set with the hotel info for Blair.

~o0o~

During the drive to the airport Blair leafed through the Douglas file to determine if there was any information they needed to "sanitize" for non Sentinel aware consumption.

"I think we're good, Jim. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how we look at this, there's really not anything to go on. I'm not sure what NCIS' best team can manage with what we have that we can't."

"I think you're right, but fairy godfather Senators like to hear the results from someone 'better' than the locals. Let's just drop this group off and head home. By the time they pick up luggage and we get to the hotel it'll be late, especially with the time difference from DC."

Jim pulled into a parking space and took the pictures Blair handed him, studying the four faces, and flipped through the service records Rhonda had sent.

"I'm guessing this Officer David is Mossad," he commented.

"Israeli intelligence?"

"More accurately Special Ops. They do a lot of 'black' work."

They headed into the airport and checked the arrival display; Flight 715 from DC was deplaning so they headed to the central fountain. All arriving SIF's (Self Important Feds, as Ellison termed them) were told to meet there. It was easy to find and near baggage claim and the exit.

Suddenly Jim stiffened.

"What's wrong?" Blair was beside him instantly.

"There's another Sentinel here."

"Good or bad? Can you tell?"

"I'm not getting the same vibes like I did with Alex, I hope that means good."

"It could also mean he's not fully online yet," Blair said then added, "Feds incoming at two o'clock."

Jim watched the group approach, the buzzing got louder as they neared.

"We'll find out soon, one of them's the Sentinel," Jim stated. "Link up with me, will you, Chief. I want to have all the advantages we can, just in case."

Blair silently nodded and opened himself to the ever-present bond they shared. Feeling it swirl between them, he too watched the approaching group, prepared for anything.

Ever the diplomat of the pair, Blair jumped in as soon as the group arrived.

"Welcome to Cascade, I'm Blair Sandburg, and this is my partner, Jim Ellison. Agent Gibbs, isn't it?"

Blair held out his hand to the oldest member of the team. Jim warily watched the ex marine for his response to the long-haired, energetic man. Gibbs politely shook Blair's hand and introduced the rest of the team. The Director had informed him of the local involvement and ordered him to "Curb the acerbic personality and play nice."

Shaking the hand of each team member, Jim froze at touching Agent DiNozzo, this man was the Sentinel. Tony's confusion at the unseen energy between them answered the first question. He didn't know what he was. Recovering quickly, Jim noticed Blair's similar attitude toward Agent McGee. Studying the man covertly, he calmed, here was the Guide. At least he wouldn't have to fight the agent for Sandburg.

Quickly greeting Officer David, Blair continued, "You must be tired, I know you're still on DC time. Do you have any baggage to collect before we head to your hotel?"

"No, we learned long ago to stick with carry on luggage, but we want to get started on this case. Let's head back to your precinct, you can fill us in on the way."

"I have to hit the head first." Tony veered to the nearby restroom.

McGee pulled Gibbs aside and whispered, "Boss, please, I know you want to get this case finished, but Tony's exhausted. That flight was murder on his migraine. He told me he didn't sleep much last night, and it's nearly six back home. Can we have them brief us on the way to the hotel and start fresh in the morning?"

Gibbs shot his famous look at McGee, who didn't flinch. Tim had come a long way since joining the team. He was no longer intimidated by Gibbs, but he still rarely resisted 'the look'. Spying Tony exiting the bathroom, Gibbs watched him closely. His skin was pale and his eyes dark, he stumbled a little crossing to them, and winced as the PA blared some recorded nonsense about watching luggage.

Gibbs liked his well-earned reputation as a hard task master, but he wasn't cruel. Tony was clearly in pain and not up to the normal long hours. There really wasn't any reason to insist they begin tonight, just Gibbs' usual attitude toward getting the job done.

Nodding, Gibbs headed back to the detectives. "On second thought, it is late for us. Can you fill us in during the ride to the hotel? We'll get started first thing in the morning."

Clearly seeing the relief cross Tony's face, Gibbs wondered about that. It occurred to him Tony would never have spoken up for himself, but would have suffered in silence. The young man's self worth still wasn't completely repaired from the damage inflicted by his father during childhood. Mentally shaking his head, Gibbs wondered yet again what else he could do for his agent. He also wished for ten minutes alone with the senior DiNozzo, but knew that was just a fantasy.

Piling into the SUV the department kept for such occasions, Jim headed out of the airport and toward the hotel.

Blair handed over the file and began speaking as they merged onto the interstate. "Ensign Douglas' started shore leave on Sunday, he spent the day with his sister, Amanda, who's a freshman at Rainier University, and made plans to meet her for lunch on Monday. He didn't show, and she called his CO that night. Commander Abrams called us Tuesday morning; we spent that day tracking down the list he gave us of Douglas' buddies and talking with his sister.

"Miss Douglas told us her brother was very conscientious and would have left a message if something came up unexpectedly. We still haven't found everyone on the Commander's list, they're scattered all over Cascade, and a couple we did find were so wasted they didn't know what day it was. Three are in Seattle, and a detective there spoke to them, they hadn't talked to Douglas since Sunday morning when they left the ship."

"I've spread the word to my informants, but haven't heard anything yet. We're also waiting for the Navy to tell us if any of his shipmates have family in the area," Jim inserted.

"I put the word out among the 'working girls' and pimps. We promised immunity for a month to anyone with info so they 'probably' will let us know if they hear anything. We found one more friend before we came to pick you up, but we can't talk to him till he sobers up. He and the two others we tracked down are in the drunk tank, they should be coherent enough tomorrow morning."

"Why the drunk tank?" Gibbs asked.

"We want to ensure they won't stay drunk, besides, this way we know where they are. We didn't process them and we separated them from the rest of the population." Jim handled the implied criticism tightly.

Gibbs nodded, flipping through the slim file. He had to admit the locals seemed to know their job. They'd made good progress since learning of the disappearance yesterday morning even if little was actually learned.

Jim pulled into the hotel lot, and Blair jumped out to help the group inside. Tony had fallen asleep against McGee in the car and was still half asleep on his feet. Checking with the desk clerk that Rhonda's usual efficiency hadn't been screwed up, he turned over the bags he held.

"What time would you like us to pick you up tomorrow?"

"0700."

"Fine, see you then."

Blair headed back to the lot, ever aware of Gibbs' eyes boring into his back.


	3. Chapter 3

"Did you get that Jim?" Blair asked climbing back into the passenger seat.

"7 am, yeah, I heard."

"Pick up on anything else?

"Well, DiNozzo's the Sentinel and McGee's his Guide, but I think you got that already."

He continued at Blair's nod.

"Neither knows what's going on, but McGee's unconsciously protecting him. He talked Agent Gibbs into heading to the hotel instead of the precinct."

"What are we going to do? We're pretty much going to have to help them, but Gibbs seems like a by the book hardnose. You think he'll cause us trouble?"

"I don't know, Chief, I haven't been able to get a read on him yet. I'd bet my paycheck he's done his own share of covert ops so my initial instinct is to lean toward trusting him. That type is generally pretty willing to break rules as necessary, but I'm not ready to share till we have to. Let's play it by ear for now."

Jim pulled into their favorite Italian restaurant. "Can we eat quickly? I really need to bond."

Blair smiled internally at Jim's failure to meet his eyes. Even a year after the first bonding, his inbred reticence occasionally asserted itself, especially when he had to verbalize the request.

"Sure, Jim, that's fine."

Entering the loft an hour and a half later after splitting a pizza at the restaurant's bar, Jim toed off his shoes and insistently pulled Blair toward the couch. Tugging him close, Jim sighed.

"Easy, big guy, I'm not going anywhere." Wedged between Jim and the couch he opened himself to their bond and sighed contentedly. The arrival of a new Sentinel and the resurfacing memories of another Sentinel caused tension in Jim, demanding he reclaim his Guide.

Blair had learned over the past year how to focus himself to give Jim what he needed during the bond, so he easily centered his feelings on the security he felt in Jim's presence. He also included his happiness and contentment at their bond, and his dedication to his Sentinel.

When Jim dropped into sleep later, Blair eased out of his grip and went to the bathroom. Reflecting on their bond in general, he headed next door to retrieve his laptop from his apartment since Jim would react badly if he woke to Blair's absence. The bond varied depending upon which of them needed it and what circumstances caused it, but it always centered on their dedication to each other. Usually the initiating partner fell asleep after bonding, sometimes they both did. But it was normal for one to wake to the other's physical absence; they were both careful to stay near at those times, however.

Booting up the laptop, Blair hoped Jim would sleep long enough to complete his project. He assumed the bonding would continue that night in Jim's bed, at such times the Sentinel insisted on keeping his Guide close. He'd grown used to the non-sexual intimacy, but hoped yet again he could find a woman willing to accept the odd relationship, especially the bed-sharing bit. It didn't happen often, but it would take a very special, understanding woman to deal with it.

Opening a file, he began editing. He'd spent time since the diss mess putting his research into shape. This time he was security paranoid with the information. The laptop and research was password protected at every step, with different passwords. His backups were all split in safety deposit boxes in five different banks under different names and stored in such a way that no single bank had enough information to do anyone any good. He'd also created a blind trust managed by Jack Kelso that paid the fees for the boxes. He'd asked Jack for suggestions on how to keep the info secure. Jack didn't know what was so important, he might be able to make some good guesses but both Jim and Blair trusted him to keep it quiet.

It had been several months after the fiasco before he could face the pile of research again, but he finally forced himself to look it over. He knew, deep down, that more Sentinels would appear and hoped they would be like Jim, honest, ethical, and good. With this in mind, he collated the information to produce a basic primer for these future

people. The time had finally arrived for its use. Printing a copy, he shut down the laptop just as he heard Jim stir. Grabbing a couple of juice bottles, he took the papers with him to the couch.

"Here, Jim." He passed over the juice and papers.

"What's this?" Jim took a swig from the bottle and looked over the paper.

"I've been working on it for the last few months. I thought it might be useful to have it ready in case we needed it. Don't worry; I've done everything I can to keep it secure. I even asked Jack for some ideas."

Drinking his juice, he tried to hide his apprehension. Their relationship had grown enormously since that mess, but he still slightly feared Jim would view his actions as betrayal.

Jim skimmed the packet closely; he winced yet again at the evidence of Blair's teaching expertise. The basic explanation of Sentinels, Guides, their relationship, dangers, and needs was clear and concise. It was a great document and something he would have appreciated when his senses came online.

While looking over the document he also covertly monitored Blair, the nervous energy pouring from his Guide shamed him. Blair had turned his exceptional abilities towards producing a document designed to assuage the fears of a new Sentinel, and he was still unsure of Jim's reaction. Sighing mentally, he realized there was still work for his "Boost the Guide's Self Worth" campaign.

"Looks great to me Chief, have a couple copies ready. I suspect you're right; we'll eventually have to talk to them. It's going to be an early day tomorrow, and a very long one I imagine. We should probably head to bed."

Unaware that Jim fully recognized both his anxiety and relief, Blair stood and headed toward his apartment. Identifying the subconscious test, Jim stopped him. "Hey Chief, is it okay if I come with you tonight? We still have a Sentinel on the loose." He didn't really need the additional bonding, but his Guide did. He'd learned the signs over the last year as thoroughly as Blair and willingly responded. He would never admit it, but he gloated at the needs he could fill for his Guide and gloried in the enthusiastic responses.

Relaxing as his unconscious fear of rejection eased, Blair smiled. "Sure, Jim, see you in a few."

Readying for bed, Blair was setting his alarm for 5:30 when Jim appeared in the doorway. Jim crossed the floor and settled in next to his Guide. Long since over the cultural reservations of sharing a bed, Blair curled up against his Sentinel, and they sank into the bond, then sleep, together.

~o0o~

As requested by NCIS, Rhonda had reserved three hotel rooms. Regulations dictated that mixed teams not room together so Ziva and Gibbs both had singles while McGee and Tony shared. Splitting the luggage appropriately, Gibbs was about to suggest McGee take the single this time, and he'd stay with Tony when the young man spoke.

"Hey, Boss, why don't you and Ziva go get some food and bring me back something. I'll see what I can find out about our two detectives. Do you want me to look into the Navy personnel with local connections that Detective Ellison was talking about?"

"Okay, McGee, see what you learn. We'll be back soon." Gibbs watched as Tony collapsed, fully clothed, on a bed. He was worried about the young man and decided to call Ducky if he wasn't better in the morning.

Gibbs woke at four the next morning – an hour later than normal for him after accounting for the time difference. He took his time showering and made coffee in the pot provided by the hotel, although he did ignore the single use packet sitting next to the machine in favor of what he'd brought with him.

Drinking his coffee, he reread the information McGee handed him the night before. He'd pegged Ellison pretty accurately from the start - ex military, hard as nails and unforgiving. He remembered the media frenzy at his return from Peru, and immediately knew the younger man had been screwed. Intel that spectacularly wrong was either gross incompetence or a setup, under normal circumstances a second team would have been sent in. At the very least the bodies would have been retrieved, the Army didn't abandon its soldiers like that without some damn good extenuating circumstances. Gibbs didn't blame him for a moment for resigning his commission. His arrest record was the stuff of legend, more importantly; his conviction rate was just as good. The criminals he arrested went to jail and stayed there.

That's what made his partner's file so interesting. Jumping straight from the academy to detective was highly unusual, but not unheard of. It was the glaring fraud admission in his file that Gibbs mulled over. He didn't know Ellison personally, but fully understood his type. The man would no more accept a fraud as his partner than he would a serial rapist. He'd watched the two carefully yesterday, they were partners in a way that only another cop could fully understand. Reading the transcript of the press conference he considered what it would take for himself to accept a confessed liar on his team and wondered.

Dressing for the day he hoped Tony was over the migraine, his best investigator needed to be at top form for this one. He really didn't want to go back to the Chairman of the Armed Forces committee empty handed. He opened his door at six to collect his team for breakfast. He knew DiNozzo would be starved after eating nothing the day before. Minutes later, all four headed downstairs, Tony was almost back to normal, to everyone's relief.


	4. Chapter 4

Climbing into the SUV exactly at seven they headed off for the day. McGee was recapping from the previous day for Tony's benefit, and as he finished, Gibbs added, "We pulled the info from the Navy database you wanted last night, there's not much, but you might see something we don't since you know the area. McGee."

Tim stared at his boss in surprise for a moment before he pulled himself together. Taking the cue from Gibbs that these people were to be given the benefit of the doubt he passed the single sheet forward.

"There're only three crewmembers of the Astoria who have family in the entire state, two are close enough to be possibilities and the third may have made arrangements to meet here. But I really doubt we'll find anything, none of the three are on the Commander's list as friends of Douglas."

Blair eyed the list carefully.

"I think you're right, Agent McGee, but stranger things have broken cases. I'll make some calls when we get to the station since all three are outside our jurisdiction."

At the station, Blair pointed the group toward security so they could get visitor passes while Jim headed to the bullpen. Waiting outside the door, Sandburg sighed at the man nearing him.

"Well, well, fagboy's all alone. Can you manage without your big, bad protector?"

"Go away, Henderson, you don't want to give our guests a bad impression of us, do you?"

"I heard they're Feds, I'm sure they agree with me."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that. I would never base my opinion of anyone's competence or ability on that single fact. And I'd send any member of my team who would to the FBI."

Around the corner Jim heard the comment and smirked. Sticking up for Blair went a long way toward putting the man in Ellison's "Good Fed" book. He wasn't there yet, but Jim suspected it was only a matter of time. He'd come back down because the intense bonding session of the night before left him with a desire to stay near his Guide. It always did and this time he didn't need to ignore the wish. Their guests were his responsibility as much as Blair's and Simon hadn't been in his office anyway.

He nodded at Gibbs, who was heading back into the security office, as he walked up behind Blair.

"Hi, Jim, Simon not upstairs?" Since no one was around and the occupants of the security office were otherwise occupied, he allowed himself to relax against Jim for a few minutes.

"No, Rhonda said he wasn't back from a breakfast meeting. That's one reason I never want to make Captain. It seems like all you do is go to meetings and deal with paperwork." Jim rested his hand on Blair's shoulder; he craved more contact, but restrained himself. Intense bonding carried its own hazards; it built a desire for more bonding, which started a never-ending cycle. While the Sentinel and Guide didn't mind that idea, Jim and Blair realized it would never work. They did scatter time off during the year to let their alter egos play, especially after they realized the more they bonded, the deeper they were connected.

Finally, Blair pulled back.

"I've got an idea I want to check out, can you call on those three families and play tour guide for awhile?"

"If I must." Jim loathed losing contact.

"You must." Blair squeezed his arm in understanding. "Keep an eye on Agent DiNozzo, this has the potential to mushroom quickly. Warn Simon if you get a chance." With one final squeeze, he headed down the hall. Jim, careful not to zone, followed the heartbeat until the foursome exited security.

Shepherding the group upstairs, Jim pointed out the important areas, like restrooms and the break room.

"And finally, here's Major Crimes. Rhonda has us set up in a conference room down the hall. Oh, and if you want coffee I suggest you avoid the break room and ask Captain Banks, he keeps the real stuff, not that sludge everyone else drinks."

Simon would growl at the loss of his stash, but that was just too bad. He'd dumped the Feds on Jim after all. Despite his growing respect, he wasn't about to forget that little fact.

"Where's Detective Sandburg?" Ziva asked when she noticed the conference room was empty.

"He said he had an idea he wanted to check into."

"Care to share with the rest of us?" Gibbs growled when Jim didn't continue.

"Don't know what it was." He was testing the older man shamelessly. He recognized in Gibbs a fellow control freak and wanted to see how he'd react to Blair's shotgun investigative technique.

Seeing Mount Gibbs near eruption, McGee jumped in.

"Hey, Boss, didn't you want to talk to Commander Abrams yourself?"

"And isn't the director expecting an update?" Tony added. They were both used to diffusing Gibbs' anger during joint investigations since his diplomacy and tact were nonexistent.

Jim took his first good look at the other Sentinel that morning. He seemed much more in control, but Jim also recognized the knife edge DiNozzo was balancing on. Even with McGee's presence Jim knew the control would continue the slide downhill until the problem was addressed.


	5. Chapter 5

"There's everything we have on Douglas' disappearance." Jim pointed to the files Rhonda had copied for their guests. "Take a look if you want, I'm going to put calls in on those three families and see if we can learn anything more."

An hour later Jim had talked to detectives in the three different jurisdictions, returned all his phone messages, and looked over the case file one more time. He was beginning to wonder what he could do with the Feds; there was no crime scene to show them and no forensic evidence. The maid from Douglas' hotel room reported the bed wasn't slept in Sunday night, but there was no sign of disturbance in the room.

Jim was about to suggest he take them to look the room over, even though it would be a waste of time when Blair walked in carrying a file box.

"What in the world?" Gibbs exploded. He was tired and disgusted with the lack of progress and beginning to re-evaluate his opinion of this pair.

"I had an idea last night I wanted to check out." Blair answered.

"And?" Gibbs grated.

"Something Miss Douglas mentioned to me Tuesday got me thinking." Blair began. "She asked her brother if he could visit without wearing his uniform."

Jim, long used to Sandburg's circuitous method of sharing information, watched the team from DC with narrowed eyes. They were slipping back into the "Bad Fed" pool quickly, and he was bristling in defense.

Easily recognizing the signs, Blair shot him a look and continued. "Since she's clearly proud of him, there're only two reasons I could think of for the request."

"Get to the point." Gibbs ordered.

Jim stiffened even more, but Blair hurried on, trying to avert the coming power play.

"One reason is to avoid the ever present group of students in their 'military thug, baby killer' phase. But I suspect the second reason prompted her."

Jumping in before Gibbs could attack again, Jim asked, "What's that?"

"Keeping her girlfriends from going nutty."

"Huh?"

"Did you ever spend any time around teenage girls while in uniform in the Army?"

"Ohhhh." the light dawned in Jim's eyes. "They turn into swooning, flirting airhead blondes."

"Stereotypes aside, that's not a bad description."

"And you're an expert because?" Gibbs demanded.

"I spent plenty of time dealing with infatuated kids at Rainier." Blair answered, unconcerned. He always assumed visiting LEO's knew about the dissertation fiasco and subsequent fraud press conference and was long past caring what they thought of him. It still amazed him, though, that trained investigators rarely looked beyond the reports in their files and accepted the press conference at face value. He'd even asked Jim about it once.

~o0o~

"I think it's a combination of things, you fit their preconceived notion of what a fraud would look like, not what a cop should look like. You also have a unique approach to cases. Most cops think linearly and don't 'jump outside the box' often. Your brain sometimes takes such round about paths to the answer that I have trouble keeping up with you, and I'm used to it. Hell, you live outside the box."

Blair was quiet for some time before asking, "Does it bother you?"

"What, Chief?"

"That I don't approach cases normally."

Jim froze for a moment before turning from the fridge.

"Why do you think it would bother me?"

"Well, I am a rookie, technically, you're my training officer. My hearing may not be as good as yours, but I do hear the rumors and comments going around. Most people feel sorry for you for being saddled with the 'defective detective' who couldn't find the perp if guilty was tattooed on his forehead. And I must be sleeping with someone, know someone, or know something about someone to have gotten the badge in the first place." Blair referred to some of the more frequent comments making the rounds at the PD.

"Listen close, Darwin, you haven't been a rookie since Lash kidnapped you. Heck, you dealt with more your first year as an observer than most cops face in an entire career. And while I might get confused or frustrated because I can't always follow your thinking I can list dozens of cases you've cracked with your unconventional approach.

"Simon and the rest of the department know just how good you are at your job so don't ever try to conform to what you think 'normal' is. I'm sorry you've heard all those comments, although I guess I'm not surprised. No one says anything in my hearing, or at least what they think my hearing is, but I've overheard every member of Major Crimes rip into someone for making comments about you and your style. Some new scandal will come along eventually and push you to the back, and outsiders won't ever stick around long enough to be worth worrying about."

That exchange led to the first major bonding session since the first week and calmed Blair's fears enough that he was able to ignore the subtle, not so subtle, and overt comments sent his way.

~o0o~

Shaking himself from his memories, Blair continued before that vein in Gibbs' forehead got any bigger.

"I was talking to Shannon, down in records, last week. You know they've been working on getting all the cold cases into a database to make searching easier. Well, she and Carmen were noticing a pattern that seemed to emerge so they called Detective Michaels from Missing Persons. He called in Simmons from Vice."

"What the hell kind of funny farm is this? I don't care about cold cases, missing persons or vice. All I care about is finding Douglas so we can all go home. Your chatting up the girls in records is hardly a proper use of department time, or mine for that matter."

At the eruption, Tony and McGee tried to jump in and salvage the semi friendly working relationship beginning to develop.

"Hey boss."

"Gibbs."

"If this is the best Cascade has to offer I'm surprised anyone ever gets arrested," Gibbs continued. He was tired, jet lagged and fed up with the politics that dragged him across the country for a minor case the local NCIS office should have handled.

"But with a self confessed fraud on the case . . ." No cop worth the shield would ever stand by and let his partner take that kind of abuse. He wondered why he was pushing the issue suddenly. He'd decided that morning to discover for himself what was going on with these two, but hadn't planned to do it quite so soon or so dramatically.

"Stop right now!" Jim cut through the tirade with those words. "I've never seen a Fed yet who couldn't screw up donuts and coffee." Hurricane Ellison was reaching gale force, and Simon, alerted by Joel, barreled into the conference room to try to smooth things over.

Everyone except Blair was focused on Gibbs and Jim at the back of the room so they didn't notice Tony. He sat hunched and rocking in his seat while moaning and covering his ears.

Blair slid to the floor beside him, whispering, "Come back, Tony, we'll get this fixed. Ignore this bunch and listen to me, imagine a radio dial in your head. It's labeled hearing and it's all the way up. Now take hold of it and start turning it down, that's right, one notch at a time." Blair continued the litany of instructions and soothing words.

Jim, as always, was the first to notice the pair. His sensing of his Guide was so ingrained it was automatic, and the Guide voice Blair was using never failed to catch Jim's attention.

~o0o~

Tony sat through the morning, carefully hiding the headache slowing growing. He kept thinking he was hearing something from down the hall and the lights were again glaring too brightly. He managed to stay focused during the tour and read through the Ensign's file, looking for anything that would spur an idea.

He was used to buffering Gibbs with outsiders. It wasn't that Gibbs couldn't be diplomatic or tactful, he just never bothered.

Tony listened to Sandburg's briefing with a hidden smile, this, apparently random, smattering of information was sure to irritate Gibbs. He shared a wink with McGee while waiting for the coming explosion. When it came, he jumped in to try to stem the tide, but it was useless.

Suddenly the increasing noise level was too much, and he lost control. Grabbing his ears, he tried to block out the sounds bombarding him from everywhere. The hum of the air conditioning competed with the two shouting men, and the angry criminals in lockup vied with the gossip in the breakroom to push him over the edge.

~o0o~

Jim stopped suddenly, wincing in sympathy at the pain he knew DiNozzo was feeling. Remembering all the times that soothing voice had called to him, Jim clamped down ruthlessly on the jealous Sentinel trying to take control.

Pointing to the pair on the other side of the room, Jim tried to herd the group into the hall.

"Come on," he whispered, "Let's give them some quiet for a few minutes."

Gibbs, surprised at the sudden turn of events, stared at Tony then demanded.

"Wha —"

"No!" The command was no less determined for being whispered. Turning to the hand signals that every soldier used when radio silence was required, Jim motioned the group into the hall.

Watching the tension in Tony slowly ease, Gibbs decided he could humor the detective for the moment. But once the door closed behind them, he demanded, "What. Is. Going. On?" He kept his voice low, however, recognizing the warning light in Jim's eyes.

Simon sighed at Jim's silent message. Life with a Sentinel was never simple. He almost gleefully imagined the headaches Gibbs was going to be dealing with shortly.

"Let's give Sandburg a few minutes to work," he said. "I promise we'll answer your questions, but this is going to take some time. Why doesn't everyone get some coffee and meet back here in thirty minutes."

Gibbs looked at Jim, somehow realizing he understood what was happening behind the door.

"He'll be okay, I promise."

Reluctantly heading off with the Captain, Gibbs almost argued when Jim stayed behind. With one last, long look, he realized that the detective wasn't insisting on his own way, he was standing guard. Nodding in appreciation, he led his agents away.


	6. Chapter 6

Twenty minutes later Blair slipped out of the room. "Are we alone?"

"Yeah, we're good for a few minutes."

Leaning against Jim, Blair allowed the contact he knew the Sentinel needed. Opening himself to a light bond, he began explaining.

"He spiked, although you probably guessed that. He's been fighting it for a couple of weeks now, and hasn't a clue what's going on. I gave him the short explanation and told him to sit quietly for ten minutes."

"Rhonda's coming." Jim straightened.

"I asked her for a favor." Blair refused to move. Everyone in Major Crimes knew Blair's dissertation was true, they studiously ignored anything 'weird' and covered for the pair with a diligence that was humbling."

Rhonda crossed the hall and took the flash drive Blair handed her, completely ignoring their odd stance.

"Could you make four copies of this, please?"

"Sure, I'll be right back."

"And Rhonda." She turned back. "It's about that thing you're not supposed to know about."

Grinning, she promised. "I'll take care of it."

"What did we ever do to deserve such good friends?"

"I have no idea, Chief, but I'm forever grateful they accepted this craziness."

Neither said anything else for several minutes, reveling in each other's contentment.

"They're coming back." Finally, they had to move.

"Stall them for a couple of minutes while I make sure Tony's ready for this."

"He's still in there. Let's wait out here for another minute or two." Jim nodded in answer to Simon's silent question.

Rhonda returned with the flash drive and four sets of papers just as Blair whispered, "Okay, Jim."

Opening the door, Jim took a deep breath. He wasn't ready for this; Gibbs' earlier reaction had him dreading the fallout.

"Long version or short version?" Blair asked.

Watching Gibbs' simmering impatience, Jim suggested, "Let's start with the short version."

"Okay, I assume you all know about my dissertation?" At Gibb's nod, he continued. "Well, it's true, Jim's a Sentinel and so is Agent DiNozzo." Handing out the packets Rhonda had created, Blair ignored the stares split between him and Tony. "Why don't you read this and I'll answer any questions after."

Waiting for the group to finish reading, Jim studied Tony carefully. He sat quietly, with his eyes closed, completely ignoring the rest of the room. Jim sympathized with the man, his life was about to change so radically there was no way to prepare for it. McGee, sitting beside Tony, was also in for a dramatic change, and Jim just hoped the pair could cope.

McGee finished reading first and turned to Tony. "Are you okay? This is pretty wild."

Sighing, Tony finally opened his eyes. Looking at McGee, he answered, "I don't know, Probie. This is so far beyond what I could ever have expected I can't imagine where to begin."

Pinning Blair with the deadly glare that everyone at NCIS headquarters avoided at all costs, Gibbs cut into the quiet conversation at the other end of the table. "Just what are you trying to pull, Detective Sandburg?"

Jim grinned at the attempt to intimidate his Guide and shook his head. Simon could have told him that wouldn't work. He did respond to Gibbs' criticism, though, before things got out of hand again.

"He's not pulling anything. You asked what was going on, and he's trying to explain it to you. Right now he's the only one who can help you so I suggest you listen to him without the sarcasm."

"Detective Ellison, I don't take kindly to being —"

"No, Gibbs, he's right. Detective Sandburg is the only one right now who can keep me from going nuts. I'm hearing all kinds of things and—" He stopped suddenly and stared at McGee intently. "It's you," he whispered so quietly that only Jim heard him.

"Hey, Chief," Jim nodded to Tony.

"Talk to him, Agent McGee, he'll listen to you."

Confused, McGee put his hand on Tony's arm and began talking while looking at Blair.

"Where'd you go, Tony? You need to pay attention, or Gibbs will have your head."

"Keep it up. It will take some practice for the two of you to get a handle on it."

McGee continued quietly while everyone in the room watched, Gibbs and Ziva in confused suspicion, Jim and Simon with sympathetic interest, and Blair with the critical eye of a teacher.

After several minutes Tony started and looked around. "What happened? What are you all staring at?"

"That, agents, was a zone. When Agent DiNozzo concentrates too much on any one sense he will lose all contact with the real world."

"Is it dangerous?" McGee asked

"It can be. If it were left unchecked he would eventually stop breathing and die. Also, if it happened while chasing a criminal, well, you can probably imagine all the possibilities. But with training and experience it can be controlled."

"What were you concentrating on, Agent DiNozzo? The best way to stop zones is to figure out what caused them. Then you need to learn to filter out the stimuli in the future."

"I don't know what the sound was, but it was coming from McGeek here." Tony resorted to the only way he knew to divert attention from himself, humor. It didn't work; Jim could have told him nothing diverted Sandburg from his goal when dealing with Sentinels.

"What did it sound like?"

"A kind of thumping, really regular." Tony saw the losing battle and gave in.

"Probably his heartbeat."

"Heartbeat!" Tony, McGee, and Gibbs declared together.

Deciding he would have to hurry things along or they would be there the rest of the day, and they still had a sailor to locate after all, Jim jumped in. "Yes, his heartbeat. I've become so attuned to Blair's that I only notice it when it's not beating normally. I also understand exactly what you're going through, but I want to remind everyone we still have a missing sailor. Since it's really your case how do you want to handle this? Do you want to start on Sandburg's research and discuss this tonight?"

Jim ignored the amazed looks Blair and Simon were giving him. Voluntarily turning over a case to the Feds was so unlike him that Blair whispered, "You okay?"

Jim nodded, and then indicated Tony who was trying to make himself invisible behind McGee. Getting back to the case would allow him to process the new information and relax a little before facing the overwhelming changes coming his way.


	7. Chapter 7

Understanding Jim's thinking, Blair jumped back into his explanation.

"Anyway, what Shannon told me was that there's been a rash of people disappearing the last few months. Most of them are homeless and other street people so it's not being reported, but she and Carmen were seeing a pattern so they talked to Detective Michaels."

"Some of the disappearances were reported by family members, but most came later. Michaels started talking to the beat cops and Simmons asked around Vice. There have been several dozen hookers, homeless people, and vagrants disappearing from their regular patches over the last six months or so. The girls ran the info and there's something there, but no one put it together until a couple of weeks ago."

"Miss Douglas told me that her brother only had a couple of old t-shirts and jeans as civvies, and I was wondering if he might have gone somewhere after seeing his sister. Dressed like that someone might have thought he was homeless or a vagrant. I know it's a stretch, but we don't have any better ideas on this case, so I thought it might be worth looking into."

Blair booted up the computer Rhonda had asked tech support to hook up and slid in the disc he'd gotten from Shannon. Simon had convinced the brass to spring for a couple plasma displays since they frequently worked with Feds. They'd balked at the cost, but Simon just asked them if they wanted to look like a hick, backwater town when trying to make nice with federal agencies.

Blair pulled up a map of Cascade and flagged all the presumed missing people, he then flagged Douglas' motel. It was well within walking distance of the clustered disappearances.

"If Ensign Douglas went out for a drink or a girl, he would have walked through this area. Since he's a new face someone might have mistaken him for a vagrant. *If* he went for a walk, and *if* something is going on out there, but he is gone. According to all reports, he's not the type to go AWOL, and he doesn't have any friends in the area but his sister."

The group studied the display intently while Blair waited for their verdict. He knew the idea was well past a long shot, but Michaels was convinced there was something to it. That didn't mean Douglas' case was part of it, of course, but it was all they had.

"Not a bad idea," Gibbs finally admitted. "How do you suggest we proceed?"

Ziva and McGee gave Gibbs the same amazed look that Blair and Simon had given Jim earlier. For Gibbs to ask for a suggestion was so out of character they wondered if he was okay. Tony was just happy to have the attention off of him. He was doing a little better, but was still terrified.

"Why don't you, Officer David, and Jim see if our three sailors are sober enough to talk to while Agents DiNozzo and McGee and I go through this box and talk to Detective Michaels? We can meet up back here at lunch time and see where we're at then."

Everyone seemed amazed it was still mid morning, enough had happened for the entire day.

Jim knew Sandburg was trying to give the emerging pair an opportunity for questions without an audience, but the Sentinel balked at the idea of leaving his Guide with another, as yet unbonded, Sentinel.

As if knowing exactly how Jim was feeling, Blair managed to get near enough to be unobtrusively scanned. Squeezing Jim's arm, he whispered, "It's okay, I'm all yours tonight."

With that promise, Jim managed to push the Sentinel back into his corner and get on with the job.

As the group split, Blair pulled out a stack of files and handed some to each man.

"Let's see if we can find anything. Michaels doesn't have much but theories and speculations at this point. But he's convinced there's something out there, and he knows what he's doing."

The trio sorted through files for some time before McGee hesitantly asked, "Detective Sandburg?"

"Yes." Blair glanced up. He wanted to be available to questions, but didn't want to scare either man off.

"Your paper said Sentinels need Guides. Am I Tony's Guide? Is that why he can hear my heartbeat?"

"Yes, it's a genetic thing, on both sides." Oversimplified a bit, but all they needed at this point.

"Oh, okay then."

Nothing else was said for several minutes. Then Tony began flipping back through several files again.

"I might have something!" Excitement stirred through the group, they really needed a break. "Most of the people in my files spent some time at the 'Alliance Homeless Shelter' just days before they disappeared."

The other two flipped through their stacks. "Me too, same here," they answered simultaneously.

"I'll call Michaels and see if he noticed that."

Pulling over the phone, Blair dialed the extension and explained what they'd found.

"He's on his way up." Blair reported as he hung up. Looking at the two floundering people, he decided some encouragement was needed.

"It's not that bad. Sure, it'll be overwhelming at first, and you both have a lot to learn. But once you get a handle on it you'll discover it has some perks."

"Like what?" McGee asked.

Knowing now was not the time to go into bonding with them, perk though it was, Blair answered. "Well, you'll be able to pick up a lot more information at crime scenes. I can't begin to tell you how many times Jim's found something forensics missed. And he can hear criminals during stakeouts without any equipment. While it's not admissible in court, we have found the evidence that will be admissible after being pointed in the right direction many times."

"What about McGee? All these 'perks' sound like they're for my benefit," Tony asked.

"Those perks are a little harder to quantify. While I can't find evidence like Jim can, he's helped me many times. I know it sounds lame, but all I can say is, I've never regretted being Jim's Guide for a single minute. Sure, we have fights occasionally, but all good friends do. He's my best friend, my partner, and my Sentinel. You'll understand that more in the future."

Just then Jim returned with Gibbs and Ziva. He'd heard the entire conversation and wondered at it. He often thought Sandburg got the short end of the deal. The Guide trailed after the Sentinel, dealt with all the grief and didn't get any of the benefits. And Sandburg had lost his dissertation, his academic reputation, and his career in the bargain. Knowing now was not the time to deal with the issue; he turned when Detective Michaels entered the room.


	8. Chapter 8

"Most of our missing people spent time at the 'Alliance Homeless Shelter' shortly before their disappearance," Blair filled in the new arrivals. "While that might help you, Mark, with your case, I can't imagine why Douglas would be in a homeless shelter."

"His buddies, down in lock up, said they met him for some drinks on Saturday night. He wasn't nearly as smashed as they were, and left after only a couple of hours, but the bar they went to was in the target area." Jim summarized their findings.

"Okay, Douglas meets his friends in a downscale bar." Blair flagged the address on the map.

"He left around 2300 to walk back to his hotel, according to our three hungover shipmates," Ziva continued. "Perhaps he stumbled across something he wasn't supposed to see?"

"Would his route have taken him near the homeless shelter?" asked McGee.

Tracing the route onscreen, Blair answered, "Right by."

"Maybe he stopped for a few minutes because he wasn't feeling well?" McGee theorized. "Have any new disappearances been reported?"

"I'll see what I can find out from the beat cops in that area," Michaels answered.

"Why don't I take DiNozzo and McGee to the homeless shelter to see what we can shake loose?" Jim suggested. His motive was twofold: let the pair escape the station and allow them to ask any questions. He also suspected Gibbs would like some time to ask his own questions.

"That's fine, and Ziva, you see what you can dig up about the homeless shelter, financial records and such," Gibbs continued. "Detective Sandburg, could I have a couple minutes of your time?"

The group headed their separate ways and Blair led Gibbs toward Simon's office.

"Hey S – Captain, we've come to raid your coffee." Letting Gibbs fill his cup, he asked, "What questions can I answer for you?"

Gazing intently at the Detective and his Captain, Gibbs began, "I'm only partially convinced about this."

"I can understand that – it's pretty wild, but I assure you, it's the truth." When Gibbs didn't respond, Blair continued, "Look, I can give you the whole speech if you want it, but basically, Agent DiNozzo is a Sentinel. Primitive tribes had them as tribal protectors who could track game, weather changes, and enemies. Today that ability allows them to track criminals and to 'protect and serve'."

Blair had learned, over time, to avoid phrases like 'genetic throwback', he tried to describe Sentinels in a way modern civilization could accept. Admittedly, this was the first time he'd tried out the spiel on someone completely new. Hopefully, Gibbs wouldn't find it offensive.

"Jim and I will explain everything and answer all your questions tonight. Captain Banks can be there if you'd like. If you have any pressing questions now, though, I'll be happy to answer them."

"What does this mean for my people? Will they have to leave NCIS?"

"They're still the same men you know, there's just another element. There's no reason they need to leave NCIS, although, I would suggest they take a couple of weeks soon and meet with us so we can do some training. But Jim didn't need to leave the PD when his senses came online."

"And your people have one thing Jim didn't," Simon inserted.

"What?"

"They have the experience and ability Ellison and Sandburg can share with them, and they're already friends and partners. Blair was a graduate student when he met Jim, and he knew nothing about police investigation or procedures. He also only had a century old description of Sentinels, and he figured out both on the fly. There were dozens of setbacks and unexpected problems, but now they're the best detective team in the city."

Sandburg goggled at the praise from the Captain. Usually Simon's biggest compliment was a quiet 'good job' at the end of a difficult case. This unqualified endorsement was unheard of in Major Crimes' memory.

Without looking at Blair, Simon continued "And don't let that go to your head, Sandburg. I still set your schedule."

"Look, Agent Gibbs, it will take a *lot* of time. Nothing about this will be easy or simple, but it *can* be learned. The hardest part is going to be 'sanitizing' reports."

"What?" Gibbs stared at Blair.

"Putting the truth in reports will only cause one of two outcomes, both very bad. One, everyone will assume you or DiNozzo have totally lost your minds and send you for a psych evaluation. Two, someone will believe you and your agents will wake up somewhere in a hidden facility to spend their lives as lab rats or coerced into doing really bad things." ~Like stealing a top secret plane from a government facility. ~ "At the very least you'll have media scrutiny that will make Watergate look minor." Blair was trying to strike the right balance between imparting his paranoia and explaining the problem.

"Don't exaggerate, Sandburg, nothing would happen." Gibbs obviously still didn't get it.

"You don't know that, a rogue CIA agent stole a canister of Ebola and forced Jim to break into a maximum security facility so he could steal a spy plane. And that was after reading my master's thesis. Three officers were shot when an assassin escaped, and that was after my dissertation was leaked to the press. There's a reason I can't work in academia anymore." Blair's fury was no less real for being calmly stated. "And your agents work in the middle of alphabet central, some agency or other won't be able to ignore what help they could provide 'national security' and they'll quietly disappear some night."

Gibbs stared in astonishment at the irate Guide.

Simon, equally surprised at his youngest detective's attitude, recovered quickly and jumped in. "Sandburg's right. Jim plans to use that Ranger training of his and disappear at the first sign of trouble."

Jim actually had several plans, for any number of scenarios, but even he didn't know them all. He just prayed it would never come to that.

"Getting back to the original issue – do you have any other specific things you want to ask?" Blair hoped they'd impressed Gibbs with how serious things could get, but knew it was time to move on.

"How long will it take to get them up to speed?"

"You understand I only have Jim to go by, this will only be a guess."

Gibbs nodded.

"I think it will only take a couple of weeks before they can get back to work, but that's only because they'll need to meet with us for some basics. But it will probably take a couple of years before they are to the point Jim is now. And they'll need to be paired together pretty constantly at first."

"Why?" Gibbs asked curiously.

"Because of the zones. What happened in the conference room can happen *anytime* especially at first. Jim zoned on a Frisbee in a park across the street and was almost flattened by a truck. Now he knows how to avoid them and how to recognize them while he can still pull himself out. He still wants me with him for anything heavy, but we do work separately, just like now."

"There're a couple of other detectives who work with Jim if Sandburg can't for some reason, but they are nowhere near as good as Sandburg is at the Guide thing," Simon interjected. "There's reason for concern, but not terror or paranoia. And Sandburg's a *really* good teacher, I bet your men will be up to speed in no time."


	9. Chapter 9

Jim was driving to the shelter with two very subdued NCIS agents. Completely understanding the overwhelming information they were trying to assimilate, he kept quiet.

"What's it like?" Finally DiNozzo broke the silence.

"I'm not sure I can really describe it. It's amazing, fantastic, and frightening all in one. Without control I'd go mad from all the information bombarding me. But with control," Jim paused, trying to find the words, "it's beyond description. I can taste the subtle spices in food, see color variations that no one else can. And live music – is beyond words. In fact, Blair and I were out hiking a few months ago and came across a cave with thousands of bats. Blair let me zone for an hour while they all left one night. The feel of the sonar was incredible; we plan to go out there again."

"I thought zones were dangerous?" McGee asked.

"It's more the situation that makes them dangerous. In a controlled, safe setting they're not so bad. Blair's afraid too long a zone will cause autonomic shutdown and death, and that's not something we really want to experiment with. But I zoned for hours a couple of times in the beginning and there weren't any problems. It's just… "

"Just what?"

Jim sighed; he hadn't wanted to get into the down side just yet. "Well, this gig is pretty much a lifetime commitment. That's all. Look, we're at the shelter; I'm not trying to brush you off, but now is not the best time. Let's focus on the case and go over everything tonight."

Pulling themselves back to the present, they agreed and the trio walked into the shelter. The agents let Jim take the lead; it was his city after all.

Flashing his badge at the attendant, he asked. "Is there someone we can talk to? I have some questions about a missing person." He purposely didn't introduce the agents or mention the missing person was a sailor.

"I'll go find the director."

"I have a hunch; let's not let anyone know you're Feds looking for a missing sailor just yet." McGee and DiNozzo agreed as the attendant returned with an older man dressed in jeans and a polo shirt.

"Hello, Detective, I'm Jason McKenzie, director of this mission. What can I do for you?"

Pulling out the picture Douglas' sister had given him instead of his service picture, Jim asked, "Do you recognize this man? He's been missing a couple of days and his family is worried. We managed to trace him to a bar not far from here and thought he may have stopped in."

Jim monitored the director while he studied the picture. He was doing a good job, but couldn't hide the anxiety Jim's question and the picture obviously caused him.

"I'm sorry, but I haven't seen him." Turning to the attendant, he asked, "Kyle, have you seen this man? He appears to be missing."

Kyle looked over the picture carefully. "No, and I've been here the last four nights since Mike's been sick. Sorry, officers, I hope you find him."

"Thanks for your assistance, if you do happen to see him give me a call." Jim handed over a card. "Hopefully, he'll turn up soon and his family can relax."

Jim monitored McKenzie as the group walked back to the car wondering how to approach this case. Normally, he'd suggest a stakeout for the next few nights, but night-time at a homeless shelter was the wrong time to try to hide any illegal activities or body disposal.

Once they were in the car, DiNozzo spoke. "He's lying."

"Yes, he is." Jim answered. "But how are you so sure?" He was curious to see if DiNozzo was picking up on the same cues Jim was or if it was his cop instinct.

"I'm not sure, it just seemed like -"

"Wait!" Jim suddenly silenced the two. "Gimme a minute."

Blair would have recognized the angle Jim's head was cocked, but the other two just waited quietly. This was nothing compared to Gibbs' frequent topic changes.

/"I'm telling you this is trouble. A cop was here looking for that last pickup. We made a mistake, and we should let him go."/

/"He's worth too much money. He young and healthy, they don't have any reason to suspect you. I'm sure they're just tracking down all the possibilities."/

/"He's the first one anyone's even asked about. We've got a good thing here, we shouldn't take any chances."/

/"Relax, this will blow over. Just take a break for the next few days, and we'll be fine."/

/"I sure hope so."/

"We've got him, let's get back to the station and fill everyone in."

"What do you mean? How do you know we have him? And how did *you* know he was lying?" McGee demanded.

"I knew he was lying because I could hear his heartbeat and respiration increase. He was also beginning to sweat. And I overheard him talking to his contact about Douglas. I don't know if it's white slavery or something else, but they were talking about him being worth too much to let go. We need to figure this out soon or Douglas will be gone, one way or another." Jim smiled at the identical looks of amazement on the two faces.

"Can Tony do that?"

"Well, it takes practice, but yes, given time he'll be able to do that and more."

The drive back to the station was quiet as the two agents absorbed the fantastic truth. This demonstration had made the whole thing real in a way nothing else had.

* * *

*Jim zoning on bats is borrowed from The Dancing by Kristine Williams it's a great story and that scene is fantastic. If you haven't read it already, please do (.).


	10. Chapter 10

The trio arrived in the conference room carrying the sandwiches Jim had picked up. Using the minor chaos while everyone collected their food as cover, Jim reconnected with Blair and sighed quietly.

"Doing okay, big guy?"

"I'll be fine, it's just, I mean-" Unable to finish the sentence Jim sighed again.

"It'll be okay, we'll bond tonight."

Neither man saw the looks Tony shot their way at the last exchange.

"Let's hear the updates," Gibbs ordered.

"The Alliance Homeless Shelter is doing very well in donations," Ziva began. "So well that they've forwarded part of it to three other homeless shelters across the country. I checked on those three and found the same story; they are also forwarding donations to other homeless shelters. I was hoping McGee could help me. I suspect it's some elaborate money laundering system. But I haven't run it out yet."

"Run it down, Ziva." McGee corrected before Tony could.

"Whatever, McGee." Ziva retorted.

"Alliance is into something illegal, the director was nervous when we talked to him." Jim said.

"And he made a phone call after we left. Jim listened in and they have Douglas, and whatever they plan to do with him, he's worth a lot of money to them." McGee described the Jim's actions, still amazed.

Gibbs and Ziva stared at this overt description of what Jim could do.

"I think we should get Miss Douglas to make a public plea for help. It might spook them enough to turn him loose, we can stake out the shelter and hope to find out where they'll drop him."

"They might just kill him," Gibbs observed.

"I don't think so." Jim answered. "They've built a pretty big network, if what Ziva's found is accurate. Of course, some of them may be legitimate shelters to throw off suspicion, but that still leaves room for hundreds of street people to disappear. And no one's likely to go looking for them, at least not for months, if not years. They know a missing sailor is going to create lots of public interest. If they are as smart as that indicates then they'll release him and hope we go away. Once he's free we can give them a few weeks and send someone undercover. Hopefully, we can pull down the entire network."

"Why not send someone in now?" McGee asked.

"Because it'll probably take several weeks and Douglas doesn't have that. Whatever they do to him will be soon, and besides, he won't want an AWOL report on his record. Plus, I'd like to get an idea of how big this operation is and coordinate with the different jurisdictions."

Jim conveniently forgot that something this big would fall under FBI jurisdiction. Gibbs, sharing his opinion of most FBI agents, let him.

"Sounds reasonable to me, I'd like to offer our help with the ongoing investigation. I've never met anyone who can sift through computer reports and get into secure systems like McGee, and that's something he can do from DC. What do you think, Captain Banks?"

"We'll give it a shot, I'll have Rhonda setup the press conference. Sandburg, you tell Miss Douglas whatever you think best and coordinate with Rhonda. Jim, you talk to Michaels and organize the stake out. Once Miss Douglas goes public, this will probably go down fast. I want everyone in position. Do we want to arrest them now if we get the opportunity?"

"I say no," Jim answered. "If this is as big as we suspect they can't be the only two involved. I'd like to try for the whole network if we can."

Simon nodded and the group dispersed to their assigned tasks.

"Captain, just a second," Jim pulled Simon aside. "I think Michaels should be the lead on the second phase of this. After we find Douglas our case is over, and we would still be out to sea if his ground work hadn't caught Blair's attention."

Simon considered for a moment, this was a huge case that would have been assigned to Major Crimes in the normal course of events. But Michaels deserved some recognition for his initiative, and Jim was remarkably good at helping young detectives learn on the job. This case would make Michaels a shoo-in for Detective of the Year, and if it broke nationwide, his career was made. Jim had no interest in the glory or praise, and he had no desire for bigger or better jobs in bigger or better cities.

Nodding, Simon answered, "I'll talk to Warren, but I still want you and Sandburg on the task force."


	11. Chapter 11

The planning and coordination for the night's press conference and stake out was organized quickly. Jim suggested he partner DiNozzo and Blair partner McGee.

"DiNozzo and McGee don't have the experience yet to handle zones and spikes, it'll be safer if I back him up. Besides, neither of them knows the area so they should have one of us with them."

Blair made a mental note to organize some time off after the case. While Jim wasn't afraid DiNozzo was a danger to Blair, the Sentinel was not about to let an unbonded anywhere near his Guide. Blair wasn't sure if Jim even recognized the cause of his reasoning, but knew some serious bonding was in their future. He bit back a smile a few moments later when he realized he was looking forward to it.

Douglas' sister was overjoyed to be doing something to get her brother back and willingly followed the script Blair laid out for her, and Ziva was going to stay with her on the off chance someone might try something. Simon and Gibbs planned to stay back in a control van and pick up as much evidence as possible.

~o0o~

Everyone was in place thirty minutes before the scheduled press conference. The news people were cooperating and had been hyping the upcoming spot for the past few hours so the team was reasonably assured their marks would hear it. That left them playing the waiting game, and the DC contingent took the opportunity to ask a few questions.

"Detective Sandburg, can I ask something?"

"Sure, Agent McGee, what's bothering you?

"Detective Ellison started to mention something earlier that has me wondering. He said this gig was a lifetime commitment, and –"

"And you're wondering exactly what that means." Blair interrupted. "It is a huge commitment, I won't kid you, and nature or God or whoever setup this relationship wasn't above using emotional blackmail, but it's worth it to me."

"What do you mean 'emotional blackmail'? Tony's not trying to blackmail me."

"No, I'm sure he isn't, but think about it. Sentinels just *cannot* survive without their Guides, especially in the modern world. Guides do just fine without their Sentinels, at least physically, but we also tend to be compassionate and caring people. Could you say no to Tony, knowing you were probably handing him his death notice, even if you had to give up your career, goals, or even a family?" Blair intentionally painted the picture darkly so McGee would have some idea of the sacrifices he might be required to make someday.

Obviously surprised by the last sentence, McGee sat thinking.

"I'm not trying to panic you, but you just don't have any idea of what will happen. No, the relationship isn't sexual, and there's no reason you couldn't have a family. Finding a woman who understands and accepts it might be a problem, though. But I *never* imagined myself as a cop, I planned to spend my life traveling the world and studying and writing about ancient cultures. If I'd had any idea what these last years were going to entail, I'm not sure I would have chased after it so completely. I don't regret my life, but it's completely opposite what I had planned."

"And the longer you two are together the more permanently you will be joined. There's a bond that's equal parts physical, emotional, and spiritual. There will come a day when any lengthy separation will be physically and emotionally painful for both of you. But Jim's my best friend and brother in every way that counts, and that's a relationship few people are fortunate enough to have in this world."

Blair subsided when Simon reported the beginning of the press conference over the radio and left McGee deep in thought.

~o0o~

Jim was listening to Blair's explanation of life as a Guide when DiNozzo interrupted his surveillance.

"How bad will it be?"

"Depends on what you mean." Jim winced at the 'emotional blackmail' bit from Blair and reluctantly tuned out their conversation.

"The senses can get pretty bad at times, mine went totally haywire when I took some cough medicine. And there've been some pretty miserable days over the years, but you will learn to control them. It's a lifetime commitment, but not a life sentence."

"I got the impression from you earlier that McGee will get the short end of the deal?"

Jim sighed, not sure how to answer this question. "Part of me regrets ever meeting Blair, not because I don't like him or don't want him around, but because his entire life has changed because of me. He's been kidnapped and shot more times than I care to remember, and he committed professional suicide over the dissertation. He'd like to get married some day, but he has little free time to meet someone. Besides, it would take a very understanding woman to accept the relationship, not to mention the bonding thing." Jim mumbled that last phrase, but Tony heard it anyway.

"What 'bonding thing' do you mean?"

"Blair didn't really want to get into that just yet." Jim sighed. "It's difficult to explain, and will probably freak you both out more than you already are."

Just then Simon's call came across the radio and Jim ended the conversation. "It's just one more thing we'll have to go over later."

~o0o~

Gibbs sat with Simon drinking the ever-present coffee and contemplating the weird direction life had taken the last few days.

"This is the best team I've had in years, am I going to have to break it up?"

"There's no reason for it. They'll have to make a decision in a few years when one of them is promoted or transferred. They're a single unit now, and while Sandburg was truthful earlier when he said they could work apart, they can't *be* apart. They lived together until Blair graduated from the academy, partly because, as a student, he had very little money, but when he did leave, he only moved next door. And they've put a doorway between the two apartments. They treat each other's homes as extensions of their own."

"When one's hurt, the other one can't be convinced to leave the hospital. If Jim's having trouble; Sandburg is single-minded, nothing can get between them. I've seen him rip into men six inches taller and fifty pounds heavier to protect Jim. It's both frightening and awe-inspiring to see it."

"Your biggest problem is going to be writing reports to hide what DiNozzo can do and still provide a semi-reasonable explanation for why or how you did or found things. Sandburg's a master at covering Jim's abilities."

Ziva announced the beginning of the press conference, and Simon passed the information along. All three cars settled into silence while they waited for the show they hoped was coming.

~o0o~

"Please, Jon, don't ruin your career. You told me you loved the Navy, whatever's wrong we can work through it. Come back. I love you." Miss Douglas ended the press conference with the script Blair had given her and ignored the shouting reporters as Ziva escorted her from the room.

Jim listened to the perp watching the press conference and reported to the other teams.

"He's pretty agitated, I think it's working. I just hope my guess was right and they *don't* just kill the ensign. Hold on, the phone's ringing."

~o0o~

Gibbs, seeing a Sentinel in action for the first time, was astonished.

"He can hear what's going on inside the room from a parked car down the street!?"

"I told you report writing was going to get interesting." Simon smirked.

~o0o~

Jim was listening to the phone conversation. Tony, after some practice with Jim while they waited, was trying to also.

/"You're right, we need to ditch the sailor. I'll shoot him with drugs and alcohol and dump him somewhere, they'll think he went on a bender and overdid it."/

Jim grimaced at the turn of the conversation.

/"No, wait, we can't guarantee they'll buy it. He's a sailor; they might get suspicious if he's been deployed for months and just now started drugs. Knock him out and bring him here. I'll call that detective tomorrow and say he just showed up. It'll throw off any suspicion they might have and keep them away in future. Can he identify anyone?"/

/"No, that might work. Just lay low for a couple of months till things cool off."/

/"Okay, the place is usually pretty dead by 4 am. I think we can sneak him into a bed. I'll keep one near the back exit empty."/

Jim relayed the update and turned to Tony, who sat staring into the night, completely zoned. Jim smiled sympathetically, with no practice and no guide around it was guaranteed he wouldn't be able to handle his first conscious effort to use his senses. Debating whether he should bring him around or drive to Blair's location he decided it was more important to keep surveillance for now.

"Tony, come on. I don't want to call McGee just yet. We need to keep this place covered." Jim continued the discourse while rubbing the agent's arm. Tony stirred, but didn't surface so Jim reached for the kit Blair insisted he keep in his truck. Doubting Blair's scent would help, he ignored the piece of flannel sacrificed from an old shirt, and pulled out the eyedropper of lemon juice. He put a couple drops on Tony's tongue and watched him jerk back to reality.

"Stay calm, it's okay. You just zoned listening to the phone conversation. You'll be fine now."

Rubbing his head, Tony sighed. "How can I keep my job if I'm doing that? I'll get myself, or worse, someone else killed."

"We told you earlier it would take practice. You can keep your job. You'll just have to work at it. Until you have better control, don't try to use your senses without McGee. It'll be fine, in time."

From the control van Simon organized surveillance for the rest of the night and told everyone to get some food and sleep so they could be back by three am for the drop off. They hoped to identify some other players and begin unraveling this operation. Since there were only a few hours until they needed to return to the shelter, the group split with plans to meet the next night for Blair's first Sentinel 101 lecture.


	12. Chapter 12

Heading back to the loft, Jim finally spit out the question that had been nagging at him since he overheard Blair's conversation.

"Was it really emotional blackmail?"

"I was hoping you weren't listening." Blair sighed. "The answer is yes and no, depending on how I look at it. I was also trying to show Agent McGee the level of commitment this required. I didn't have that choice, and before you start feeling guilty, neither of us did. We were thrown in at the deep end with only an out of date explorer's report as a manual. It's amazing we didn't get ourselves killed in the first month."

"I honestly can't say how I'd feel if I were in McGee's situation. Someone could explain to me what was going on, and I'd have training, but I'd also know what I was letting myself in for. Yet it wouldn't matter, because I could never say no to you and watch you go insane.

"Do you resent it? You always say you don't resent me, but it can't be easy for you."

"Again, the answer is sometimes. If I'm honest there are times I resent your knowing what I'm doing all the time. I know you don't listen to my private conversations or anything, but subconsciously I know you could. The deeper we bond and the closer we grow, the less I feel like *me* and the more I feel like *us*. On the other hand, that's a good description of a solid marriage. I don't know how you feel about 'us', but you must resent me sometimes too. I'm, literally, the only thing that keeps you sane. That has to annoy you. I finally just decided it was part of life. If I had that normal life we talk about sometimes I'd be annoyed at the kids or resent my wife keeping me from something. When I'm having a bad day I get angry and resentful about unrelated things, like everyone else does.

"Besides, there're perks to being a bonded Guide. You're there for me. It doesn't matter if the problem is guide related or the flu. You're my best friend and my brother, and I really wouldn't trade my life."

They headed into the building, both knowing what was left of the night would be spent bonding, and, despite their conversation, anticipating the oneness.

~o0o~

Blair yawned again as he sat outside the shelter, it was 3:30 and he was hoping the transfer would happen quickly. He just wanted this case over so he could make arrangements for DiNozzo and McGee. His inner Guide was demanding the undivided attention of his Sentinel after the upset of an unbonded pair and the emotional upheaval they caused. Besides, it was simply too early to be anywhere but his bed.

Jim looked over at his drooping Guide and smiled, for this stakeout he wanted Blair close. The thought of his Guide being away from his side was unacceptable. He heard a car headed their way and nudged Blair.

"Sandburg, heads up. It looks like they're bringing him in."

Blair sat up and focused.

"How far away?"

"About 2 miles, they should be here any second."

Just then, Michaels radioed a warning. "There's a van pulling into the loading area, I've got the plate number."

Jim listened as two men manhandled the sailor inside the shelter and dumped him on an empty bed without saying a word. In fifteen minutes the van was pulling away, Michaels had photos of the van and one good shot of the delivery men.

Simon left two units to watch the shelter until they had Douglas in their hands and the rest of the group pulled back to headquarters.

"Realistically, McKenzie isn't going to call for another four or five hours, and there's not much to do in the meantime. Why doesn't everyone get some rest and food and be back here at 7:30. We should be able to wrap this up today and get you back home by tomorrow." Simon nodded to the DC contingent and continued. "Jim, take five minutes with Michaels and McGee and bring him up to speed on the new investigation."

Twenty minutes later everyone was headed to their cars and more sleep. Michaels was still in shock over the briefing he'd just had. The thought of a nationwide kidnapping scam had him outraged. That emotion was overshadowed by the amazement that Ellison would hand the investigation over to him. This was definitely Major Crimes' territory and, as their best detective, he should be the lead.

He would have been terrified of the magnitude and potential for complete failure if Jim hadn't told him they'd work together. Ellison wouldn't let the rookie detective blow the case, but he'd been clear the arrest was his. That generosity astounded the young man. This case could make a career, and the senior detective had earned it. Suddenly, he was excited to see what the next few days would bring.


	13. Chapter 13

Arriving at the station early, Jim spent some time guiding Michaels in putting together his task force. He made sure the young detective selected solid, experienced officers who wouldn't give the green man a hard time. He left McGee with him discussing the technical aspects of the case when McKenzie called at 9:30.

"Detective Ellison, I think that sailor you asked me about is here. He's still asleep, but Kyle pointed him out to me when I arrived a few minutes ago. He didn't see him arrive last night, that's why he didn't call you. He must have been helping another resident away from his desk. We don't like to leave the desk unattended, but we don't have enough volunteers to cover it all the time. If you can come to confirm his identity I'd appreciate it. He might need medical attention; he seems pretty out of it. It's possible he's stoned since I don't smell any alcohol."

"I'll be there in a few minutes," Jim answered. "I'd love to be able to tell his sister and commanding officer that we've found him."

"I hope he isn't in too much trouble with his superiors, I'm sure they discourage this type of behavior. But, young men will often do stupid things."

"That's true, McKenzie, I appreciate your help."

Jim nodded to Blair. "Let's go pick him up Sandburg. I doubt they gave him anything dangerous, but we'll stop by the emergency room for a drug test and once over."

"Take McGee and DiNozzo with you," Gibbs suggested.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Jim answered. "I don't want him to get any hint of federal interest. He thinks he's solved his problem."

Gibbs nodded at the reasoning. "Alright, let me know when we've confirmed his identity, and I'll notify Commander Abrams. I don't want the kid's record to reflect this."

"And we're going to need a statement once he's recovered," Blair inserted. "He was probably drugged the whole time, but you never know."

~o0o~

The case wrapped quickly. The doctor released Douglas by early afternoon, and he spent the rest of the day with his sister. Reports were completed and submitted by the end of the shift and the entire group headed to dinner to celebrate. The conversation avoided all Sentinel/Guide discussions by common consent. They wanted to enjoy their dinner and besides, Michaels was along.

Returning to the loft, everyone settled in for the discussion.

"Can't I just go back to being normal?" DiNozzo started off the discussion. He was sure he knew the answer, but had to ask anyway.

"No, this is normal for you. It's not a disease or illness that needs a cure. It's like someone born with great musical ability. It just is," Blair answered.

Nodding, Tony continued. "Well, if I'm stuck with them, how do I control the whole mess?"

"With practice and testing," Blair answered. "You may not like them, but I promise, they will give you control."

"I fought Blair over every test, but they did help tremendously. He always made sure I was helpless and uncomfortable, but he didn't do anything unsafe." 'At least on purpose' he mentally added, careful not to look at Blair since they'd both probably end up laughing.

"The simplest thing is probably for you two to spend a couple of weeks here training. We can give you the basics and help you full time. But once you return to DC, you'll need to continue working. If your schedule is anything like Jim's, you'll need to put in the effort to find the time," Blair began. "I know you'll probably need to arrange the time and return, so I'll give you some exercises and simple instructions now. I'm serious, though, this can be *extremely* dangerous if not handled immediately."

Hoping he'd struck the right note between emphasizing the importance of training and not terrifying the pair, he stopped.

"Rhonda booked you on a flight tomorrow afternoon. I know that's probably as late as you can push this trip without causing questions. Sandburg can help them tomorrow morning with the preliminary instructions," Simon interjected.

"Tonight, we'll just go over anything you need clarified and answer what questions we can."

The Cascade trio continued fielding questions for the next couple of hours. By the end of the evening the tension had eased as understanding grew.

"There's one other major side effect of this, at least for Jim. I have no idea if it's just him or will affect you too. Drugs are a major concern. They just don't react normally with Jim's senses. Over the counter cold medicine threw him for a loop, but sedatives are only minimally effective. I'll give you a copy of his drug reactions tomorrow, but you'll have to see what happens for yourself."

"Maybe Ducky could help us," Ziva mused.

"He's our ME, but he also handles personal medical problems if we ask," McGee answered Blair's unspoken question.

"I can't tell you what to do, but you need to be very careful whom you share this information with," Jim said. "You're in the middle of the entire alphabet of organizations with bureaucrats and politicians who think the end justifies the means. If you're not extremely careful you could find yourself in some top secret basement as lab rats or some covert group as assassins."

Jim stared hard at Gibbs, who had the experience to understand and imagine the possibilities. After a moment Gibbs nodded. "We'll be careful. This is the best team I've ever had. I don't plan to let it go anytime soon."

Blair was amused as the other three agents goggled at their boss. Apparently, Gibbs was as generous as Simon with the praise he dished out.

The group headed their separate ways with plans for DiNozzo and McGee to return in the morning before heading to the airport.

Jim closed up his apartment and glanced at his grinning Guide.

"More suspects to torture, Chief?" He knew the scientist in Blair would never completely disappear beneath the cop.

"I don't torture my students. They just think I do." Blair rubbed his hands and cackled evilly.

"Well, just keep me out of your crosshairs." Jim laughed before turning serious. "Chief, I know we've been bonding a lot, but . . ." He couldn't finish the sentence.

"Jim," Blair answered softly. "I don't want you to ever be ashamed of what you are and what you need. An unbonded Sentinel in your territory is going set you off. You want constant reassurance that I'm okay and yours. I told you before Sentinels are possessive. I really don't mind, besides, I enjoy bonding as much as you do. In fact, the Guide side of me has been pretty possessive recently as well. It's demanding your undivided attention, that's why I asked Simon for some time off. I honestly don't know how long I can control my 'primitive throwback' nature."

Jim grinned at Blair's reference. "Okay Darwin, your place or mine?"

"I'm sure yours is cleaner, I haven't had the energy to make the bed the last couple of days." Blair laughed. "I know that would offend your Sentinel neat radar."

Jim ushered Blair toward the stairs and asked. "When do you plan to let them in one this bonding thing? I know if you'd told me at the beginning I would have run across the state line screaming."

"I plan to play that by ear. They seem more accepting than you were, but this is pretty far outside what is accepted as normal."

"Tomorrow is a whole new day. We have a new pair to help and a new detective to bring along. Not to mention a *major* case to crack. Is Michaels ready to handle it?"

"Yeah, I think so. He's pretty nervous, but he'll settle down and see it through. We'll be there to guide him along."

Sinking into bed, the tired men sighed as the bond deepened. Life was good.


End file.
